Weekend Open Thread

… the producers of a popular cartoon show were almost sued by a celebrity over the use of his name? In the early 1960s, the cartoon program The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show aired a story line about a hat that makes its wearer the most intelligent person on Earth. Wearers of the hat, according to the show, invented the wheel, discovered fire, created radio and television, and so forth. The producers called the hat – a size 7 and 5/32 – the “Kirward Derby.” The name was a spoof on television host Durward Kirby (1911-2000), co-star of Candid Camera. Kirby, however, did not see the humor in the spoofing of his name, and threatened producer Jay Ward (1920-1989) with a rather substantial lawsuit over the issue. Kirby’s business manager talked him out of the lawsuit, saying it would only bring more attention to the show. For his part, Ward actually offered to pay Kirby to sue him – again, to bring more attention to the show. (“Hey, Rocky, watch me pull a lawsuit out of my hat!”)

… the first television interview of a member of the British royal family took place in 1961? On May 29 of that year, Prince Philip (1921-2021), husband of Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022), was interviewed on the BBC program Panorama.

… the first attempt to assassinate a U.S. president was made in 1835? On January 30, 1835, President Andrew Jackson (1767-1845) was the target of a man named Richard Lawrence (1800-1861). Lawrence met Jackson as the President left a Congressional function and drew two pistols, but both of them misfired – a 1-in-125,000 occurrence, according to statisticians. Jackson then chased Lawrence with his walking stick, hitting him several times before aides dragged the would-be assassin away. (One did not mess with Andrew Jackson.)

… two mammals on Earth lay eggs? Most people know that the duck-billed platypus of Australia lays eggs, but the other is the echidna, or “spiny anteater.” Four species of echidna lay eggs, along with the single species of platypus. (The yolk’s on them, I suppose.)

… penguins are black and white for a reason? Their plumage serves as camouflage while the penguin swims. The black feathers on their backs are hard to see from above, while the white plumage on their front looks like the sun reflecting off the water when viewed by potential predators from below. (Here I thought it was because nature ran out of colors.)

… a Dutch artist has devised a plan to save the world? Arne Hendriks (born 1971) has suggested shrinking all humans to a height of about 20 inches tall. Hendriks says his calculations indicate that humans of that size would only need between two and five percent of the resources required by today’s normal-sized people. Hendriks does not, however, have a suggestion of exactly how to achieve that goal. (That might do it, though.)

Now … you know!